NASCAR's Cup Series to debut In-Season Challenge as $1 million backdrop to points race for title
HAMPTON, Ga. (AP) — The debut of NASCAR's In-Season Challenge in Saturday night's Cup Series race in Atlanta generated differing opinions and expectations from drivers.
After all, there's a points race to attend to. Every team's top priority is qualifying for the playoffs and trying to win the championship. Some drivers acknowledge they simply haven't paid attention to the new race within the race.
Joey Logano says he sees no reason to view the new tournament as a distraction.
'If there's something to win, you want to go win it,' Logano said Friday.
Denny Hamlin is the No. 1 seed in the 32-driver In-Season Challenge, a five-race, bracket-style tournament. Chase Briscoe, who held off Hamlin for his first win for Joe Gibbs Racing last week at Pocono Raceway, is the No. 2 seed. A $1 million prize awaits the winner as part of a new media rights deal that includes TNT.
Briscoe said Friday he felt 'definitely a sigh of relief, you know, just a weight off your shoulders' following last week's win. He said that sense of relief was shortlived.
'I'm expected to win multiple races, not just one,' Briscoe said. 'It's a sense of relief, but also more pressure because now they know you can win.'
NASCAR hopes the tournament generates mid-season interest. The single-elimination format cuts the field to 16 at Chicago, eight at Sonoma, four at Dover and the final two at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Many drivers expect their interest in the tournament will increase after Saturday night's race.
'I think some of the drivers have been kind of dismissive over the bracket challenge,' said Brad Keselowski, who enters the race No. 30 in the points standings and in need of a win in Atlanta to earn a playoff spot in his RFK Racing Ford.
'I think it'll become a lot more real, whether it be for the drivers or for the media or the fans, as it progresses into the later rounds over the next few weeks,' Keselowski said.
Added Ricky Stenhouse, who is 24th in the points race, of the new tournament: 'It's cool. I think after this weekend you'll have a little better idea of what you have. Our main goal in Atlanta is winning and getting into the playoffs.'
Drawing 'Uncle' Noah
Briscoe is facing No. 31 seed Noah Gragson in the first bracket. He says it's a difficult matchup, in part because 'he's actually probably my best friend on the circuit … and my son's favorite driver.'
Briscoe said his 3-year-old son, Brooks, thinks of Gragson 'like that uncle that just you take your kid to, and he has Pop-Tarts and ice cream and everything else when he's with them.'
Added Briscoe: 'Hopefully I'll win. If not I'll never here the end of it from Noah or my son.'
Briscoe posted a photo on his X account of his son's bracket. The photo shows the smiling Brooks holding a bracket with his father's No. 19 winning every round of the tournament.
Racing for Rhealynn
Chase Elliott has a special paint scheme on his No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet that was designed by 11-year-old cancer patient Rhealynn Mills. Elliott chose Mills' design to highlight his foundation's efforts to raise money for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.
Elliott said the 'Design to Drive' program has raised $500,000 for the children's hospital.
'The only bad thing is I feel like we've crashed every time we've done it,' Elliott said, adding his sponsor, NAPA Auto Parts, deserved credit 'for giving up the car' so the paint scheme could instead feature Mills' design.
New name for Atlanta track
EchoPark Speedway is the new name for the track that was still known as Atlanta Motor Speedway in February when Christopher Bell won while leading only the final lap in overtime. It's the home track for Elliott, from Dawsonville, Georgia, and he acknowledged seeing the name change and the new green paint 'was different for me. I think it's fine.'
Odds and ends
Ryan Blaney is the favorite (+800) to win the race, per BetMGM Sportsbook. Joey Logano and Austin Cindric, each at +1000, were next.
___
AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
36 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Tony Stewart's NHRA Top Fuel Car Explodes At Norwalk: Driver Shares Update
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. NASCAR legend Tony Stewart has provided an update after his Top Fuel car exploded during his first qualifying run at the NHRA Summit Racing Equipment Nationals at Norwalk, Ohio. As he took on Shawn Langdon in qualifying, Stewart got off the line only for his engine to explode. The three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion was able to avoid crashing into the barriers and exited the dragster without assistance. "I'm going to be babysitting everybody's kids and mowing everybody's yards before this is over," Stewart said to the media. "It's been a tough day for us. I'm proud of our Dodge Direct Connection team. To sit there after Q1 and get it put back together and get us ready for Q2 here. Fox host Tony Stewart looks on during the NTT IndyCar Series109th Running Of The Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 25, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Fox host Tony Stewart looks on during the NTT IndyCar Series109th Running Of The Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 25, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana."Great effort by these guys. Proud of our guys. It's just we're going to have to sit and figure out what the hell is going on. This shit is getting expensive real quick." He also shared an update for his fans on social media, writing: "It's been an expensive day. After a huge explosion during our Q1 pass, my Direct Connection team got it all back together for Q2, throwing down a 3.755 ET @327.11 MPH to put us in the provisional 3rd qualifying position, but banged the blower. We'll get things sorted out and be back at it tomorrow at 12pm for the Mission Foods US #2Fast2TastyChallenge." It's been an expensive day. After a huge explosion during our Q1 pass, my #DirectConnection team got it all back together for Q2, throwing down a 3.755 ET @327.11 MPH to put us in the provisional 3rd qualifying position, but banged the blower. We'll get things sorted out and be… — Tony Stewart (@TonyStewart) June 28, 2025 Stewart went on to qualifying in third behind Justin Ashley and Antron Brown, respectively. John Force Racing driver Brittany Force qualified just behind Stewart in fourth. Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals: Top Fuel Qualifying results
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Yankees first-half awards: Aaron Judge for MVP, but who's LVP?
NEW YORK — Will Warren didn't seem worried at all. The bases were loaded. The count was full. Gio Urshela was at the plate, and it was the first inning. Warren reached back and ripped a 94 mph sinker that dotted the outside corner. Urshela didn't swing, the umpire called strike three, and it set the New York Yankees' starting pitcher on a path to yet another big night. Advertisement Warren threw five scoreless innings, striking out seven while walking four, in a 3-0 win over the Athletics at Yankee Stadium on Friday night. The game represented the halfway mark of the regular season for the Yankees, who at 47-34 hold a 1 1/2-game lead in the American League East. And Warren's showing was another example of why he's been the Yankees' rookie of the year for the first half of the 2025 season. Warren has a 5-4 record and a 4.37 ERA, giving the Yankees at least the chance to win just about every day, though he usually offers even more. Over his last four starts, he has a 1.96 ERA. He's allowed three or fewer runs in 13 starts. Warren leads MLB rookies in starts (17) and strikeouts (103). Will Warren, Disgusting Sweeper. 🤮 — Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 28, 2025 Manager Aaron Boone said he wasn't losing faith in the 26-year-old as he walked three of the first five batters he faced Friday, though he did tell the bullpen to have Allan Winans warm up in case Warren couldn't right the ship. 'Honestly a lot of confidence that we don't have to trick 'em,' Boone said. 'He's got the stuff to go right after them.' The biggest difference for Warren this season? 'I feel like he's really starting to use his sinker and his four-seamer really well with a lot of faith in it and in the strike zone,' Boone said. 'He knows he can go in the strike zone with both of those pitches if he executes. He doesn't have to run from contact. Those two pitches really play for him.' Warren has shown that he deserves to remain in the rotation when Luis Gil returns from the injured list sometime after the All-Star break. Here are our other first-half awards for the Yankees. Who else? Judge is in the midst of one of his best seasons, and that's saying something. The 33-year-old is leading MLB in the following categories: batting average (.358), on-base percentage (.458), slugging percentage (.712), OPS (1.170) and fWAR (6.1). Judge's 28 homers are the third-most in baseball. And he hasn't missed a full game. When he was announced as the biggest vote-getter for this year's American League All-Star team, he became the fourth player since fan balloting returned in 1970 to lead the majors in voting at least three times (Ken Griffey Jr., 5; Rod Carew, 4; Ichiro Suzuki, 3). The best player in the game, of course, is the most valuable player on the team. Advertisement LeMahieu brings leadership to the Yankees' clubhouse. He sets an example of how to prepare every day. He has also been the Yankees' least productive everyday player. He didn't debut until May 13 after missing the beginning of the season with a left calf strain. When he first returned, he appeared to be moving better than he had at any point over his last two injury-plagued years. But he's struggled significantly of late. Over 13 games entering Friday, he had posted just a .384 OPS with only one extra-base hit. His season marks of a 92.5 mph average exit velocity and 50 percent hard-hit rate are encouraging. His expected weighted on-base percentage of .304 is not. Fried might start for the AL All-Star team. When the Yankees signed Fried to an eight-year, $217 million deal, the move was almost universally applauded, though some eyebrows were raised at the length. Nobody's questioning it now. The lefty leads MLB in wins with 10, and his 1.92 ERA is second among starting pitchers. He's top 10 in WHIP (0.94) and batting average against (.204). Fried has also become a clubhouse leader in a mold similar to Gerrit Cole. 'Ten wins in half a season is not easy to do, in any era, especially now,' Boone told reporters in Cincinnati this week. 'It's just a testament to how good he's been and how efficient he's been. Needless to say, he's been enormous for us, whether it's coming off a loss or extending a streak. His consistency's been great.' Carrasco's stay was brief but impactful, in the wrong way. The 38-year-old was 2-2 with a 5.91 ERA in eight games (six starts), and it seemed like he just didn't have it anymore in the 16th season of an otherwise impressive career. He made his last Yankees appearance on May 4. Then the team designated him for assignment. He's since hung around Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, but he hasn't been good there either, with a 4.95 ERA in six games. Carrasco was a positive force inside the Yankees' clubhouse during spring training and at the beginning of the season, but he didn't get it done on the field.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Analytics project NFC East win totals for Commanders and others
How many games will the Washington Commanders win in 2025? Last season, Washington shocked the world, going 12-5 and reaching the NFC championship game. It was the franchise's best season in 33 years and one year removed from a four-win season. The Philadelphia Eagles ended the Commanders' dream season in the NFC title game before defeating the Kansas City Chiefs for their second Super Bowl championship. Advertisement Washington spent the offseason trying to catch Philadelphia, which lost some talented defenders in free agency. However, in true Philly fashion, general manager Howie Roseman went defense-heavy in the 2025 NFL draft, using his first five picks on defensive players. Meanwhile, Commanders' general manager Adam Peters was aggressive this offseason with star quarterback Jayden Daniels entering the second year of his rookie contract. Peters traded for left tackle Laremy Tunsil and wide receiver Deebo Samuel. Did Washington do enough to catch Philadelphia? Cynthia Frelund, an analytics expert for doesn't believe so, using her model to project the number of wins for all four NFC East teams in 2025. Frelund on Washington: Advertisement "The Washington Commanders are projected to win 10.2 games and secure an NFC Wild Card after their breakout 2024 season with new head coach Dan Quinn and Offensive Rookie of the Year, quarterback Jayden Daniels," Frelund said. "Washington scored more than nine points per game last season compared to 2023. Daniels elevated everyone around him and was able to extend plays with his legs. General manager Adam Peters went all-in on building around his young quarterback, trading for Deebo Samuel and Laremy Tunsil, and drafting another tackle, Josh Conerly Jr., in the first round. Assuming the Commanders can better protect Jayden Daniels in 2025: Watch out." This is encouraging for the Commanders. While 10 wins is less than last season, the Eagles won 14 games during the regular season in 2024. Quinn would settle for a Week 18 matchup against Philadelphia to determine the NFC East champion, even if it meant winning one or two fewer games in 2025. Some analysts are more encouraged by the Cowboys than Frelund. Meanwhile, everyone agrees that the Giants are No. 4. This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: How many games will the Commanders win? Analytics predicts NFC East
